Some of Europe’s largest retailers and online commerce companies, including Aldi, Amazon, Carrefour, eBay, H&M, Ikea, Intersport, Marks & Spencer, Worldline, Nexi, and Teya, have called on the European Commission to address what they describe as excessive and opaque fees charged by Visa and Mastercard, warning that such practices undermine the European Union’s competitiveness and restrict market alternatives.
In a letter dated May 13, industry groups representing these major retail and e-commerce players urged EU officials to curb the pricing power of the two U.S. payment giants, which together process about two-thirds of all card payments in the eurozone. The groups argue that Visa and Mastercard have been able to raise fees without meaningful regulatory oversight or competition, making it difficult for merchants to understand or challenge the costs they incur.
The complaints arrive as the EU continues to explore long-term alternatives to reduce its reliance on non-European payment systems. While the idea of a digital euro has gained traction, progress has been slow, leaving many stakeholders frustrated by the lack of immediate solutions.
According to the letter, a recent report by The Brattle Group showed that fees charged by international card schemes (ICSs) increased by nearly 34% between 2018 and 2022, an average annual rise of 7.6% on top of inflation, with no notable improvement in service for merchants or consumers.
Visa defended its pricing structure, stating that its fees reflect the value it delivers through security, fraud prevention, operational reliability, and consumer protections.
The appeal was addressed to EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera, financial services commissioner Maria LuÃs Albuquerque, and economy chief Valdis Dombrovskis. It was signed by groups including EuroCommerce, Ecommerce Europe, Independent Retail Europe, the European Association of Corporate Treasurers, and the European Digital Payments Industry Alliance.
The coalition is urging the Commission to take action under EU antitrust law, revise interchange fee regulations to introduce price caps, mandate greater transparency from payment card networks, and develop regulatory tools to scrutinize ICS activity more closely.
